Andre Greipel back where it all began at the Tour Down Under
It’s been 12 years since Andre Greipel won his first Tour Down Under title but the 37-year-old is back and with a smile on his face.
Cycling
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cycling. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Ewan wants revenge in Cadel Race
- Bushfire heroes of Woodside inspire CCC’s German Geschke
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
Twelve years after he made Adelaide his home away from home by winning his first Tour Down Under title, Andre Greipel is back.
The 37-year-old missed last year’s UCI season-opener after a one-year hiatus from the WorldTour but the German sprinter is back in the top flight in 2020 with Team Israel Start-Up Nation.
Watch over 50 sports LIVE on Kayo! Stream to your TV, mobile, tablet or computer. Just $25/month, cancel anytime. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Greipel is a two-time ochre jersey winner at the TDU and also holds the record for the most stage victories in the race’s history with 18.
He last saluted in Adelaide in 2018 when he won Stage 1 to Lyndoch and Stage 6 in the CBD and while he is racing to win next week, says he’s more concerned with simply enjoying himself in the twilight of his career.
“Of course I’m happy to be back especially with a new team and new project, I always started well when I came here and the team asked me to come back and I didn’t say no because I always enjoyed it,” Greipel said.
“The team would like to start in a successful way, especially the first WorldTour season for Israel Start-Up Nation so hopefully we can work it out somehow to get the results.
“But last year wasn’t my best year so I will try to focus on being in the sprints again.
“I just want to have fun, I’m nearing (the end) of my career so I just want to enjoy racing, cycling, and all the rest comes on top of that.”
For Greipel that means taking aim at the Schwalbe Classic through the CBD next Sunday, January 19 before the TDU proper begins on the Tuesday.
“It’s not part of the WorldTour but it’s one of the hardest races to compete in and win, but I’m not speaking about wins because the sprinters are not getting slower and I’m getting older, but I still have a good team around me to support me and we will all try to make the best out of it.
“My winter has been just like usual, nobody needs to ask me about training, I do it myself and try to stay in form.”
He hasn’t earmarked which if any Grand Tours he will ride this season.
“I’ll start here then go back to Europe and start Algarve and the Classics,” Greipel said.
“I didn’t speak about Grand Tours yet, I was asking the team ‘just let me start the season at Down Under and then I’ll see how it works and I can make decisions in a better way than I would in December’.”
Greipel arrived from Germany to a pleasant 23C in Adelaide on the weekend and said he wasn’t afraid of the temperature climbing in the next two weeks.
“I never have problems with the heat so that should be OK,” he said.
Originally published as Andre Greipel back where it all began at the Tour Down Under